How do we cope now that a significant number of us believe lies?

[Hamlette]

I've seen it for years, Bill Clinton had people murdered, Carter was in on it when they kidnapped citizens in Iran, Hillary's pizza parlor sex ring.

It is worse now. I've tried to correct a few as I've seen them on Facebook but today I was mocked for using Snopes.

I'm not talking about trying to win them over. That is impossible.

Is this a problem or am I just freaked out for no reason? Americans have believed totally stupid shit (IMHO) and we survived. But this seems like more than the Salem witches.

[John1956PA]

1. The right-wing propagandists are shouting down those who speak the truth.

On social media, the aggressive, hostile posts of the right-wing propagandists are intimidating. This is a growing problem.

[Hamlette]

2. agreed

I try to correct them but they just get meaner.

[democratisphere]

3. I don't believe anything any redumbliCON says.

They lie, cheat and steal as a practice of everyday life.

[Saboburns]

4. No you should be freaking out

I am.

Its only going to get worse.

[maryellen99]

5. My husband's trump worshipping cousin mocked me for using snopes

She told me just because it said it wasn’t true doesn’t mean it isn’t. It was about California banning the Bible. She has since been unfriended due to her support for child concentration camps.

[sarah FAILIN]

17. I hope you told her

I make a point of telling everyone now why I am unfriending them so that they know I will not accept their crap and this is how strongly I feel about it.

[maryellen99]

21. Yes I did nt

[Sherman A1]

6. This goes back for as long as I can remember

The Moon Landing didn't happen, FDR set up or let Pearl Harbor occur to get us in the war, Area 51, etc, etc......

Conspiracy theories have been around for as long as people have been conversing. Some folks buy into them or some of them and I suspect that you will not have much luck changing their minds.

Good thing we all know the truth regarding The Spacecraft Voyager being powered by Snicker Bars!

[Kilgore]

9. Eisenhower did have meetings with aliens

It's all in the video on the internet. So it's gotta be true!

[Sherman A1]

10. Thanks for sharing

That is one I missed, but I have no doubt of it’s truthiness I saw a quote from Abe Lincoln online that told me everything on the internet is true. 🙃

[Kilgore]

14. I knew Old Abe was a blogger

[Hamlette]

16. it seems worse now

I didn't actually know people who thought the moon landing was a hoax but I know many people who believe the same kind of bullshit now. It baffles me.

[Sherman A1]

22. It only seems worse with our instant, interconnected world

Look back to the sales of The Weekly World News and the other conspiracy laden supermarket tabloids as an example (have they found Elvis 🕺 Yet?) People will believe all sorts of things that make no sense to us.

[OnDoutside]

7. There are enough people to change the Government. The only way to fix this is GOTV.

[VOX]

8. It's now a culture war, the spoils of which include the naming-rights to reality.

One side believes in fair play and reason; diversity, inclusion, woman's rights, LBGT rights and human rights worldwide; a decent and affordable education; science and innovation; having the mega-wealthy and corporations pay their fair share of taxes; collective bargaining in industry; clean drinking water, reduced air pollution and renewable energy sources; a Medicare-type, fully functioning health-insurance plan that covers pre-existing conditions; facing and fixing the shame of rampant homelessness in one of the world's wealthiest countries; re-establish that the U.S. government is understood to be a genuine friend to allies in Europe, Asia, wherever.

The other side? Just look at the list immediately above this paragraph. They want NONE of this. Not a shred. They have to go. VOTE Democratic!

[Ilsa]

11. The reichwingers are re-writing textbooks

to brainwash our youth. They are just using the internet to catchup to brainwashing voting adults.

[czarjak]

12. One side refuses to listen to the truth...

One side refuses to listen to bullshit. If only there was a solution.

[Crunchy Frog]

13. This is the product of a massive and sophisticated propaganda machine

That's been running now for decades. It's not just FOX and hate radio, but the entire infrastructure of think tanks that come up with the talking points and propaganda messages.

They've managed to create a population of Pavlov's dogs numbering in the tens of millions, who are conditioned to believe and behave in any way they want. Millions more people are more subtly influenced, even liberals.

At minimum, we need to create our own infrastructure to begin combating this machine.

[ucrdem]

15. geez, facebook

toxic politics. I know, it's essential, everybody does it, it's practically required, etc, but it's also a major RW propaganda pipeline and not a good place to get news or discuss politics of any stripe. JMHO.

[Garrett78]

18. I've been saying for a long time that Dems need to make a big push for media literacy in schools.

Media literacy should be mandatory curriculum.

[Hamlette]

19. we need to teach critical thinking skills

I saw something on a program helping kids recognize real fake news. It should be part of every school.

[Garrett78]

20. Analyzing, evaluating, verifying...it all needs to be taught.